Erie Music History Podcast

01/05/2025

In 1966, the Seagrams, a rock-n-roll band made up of four teenage girls from Academy High School, was playing local Erie venues. But in the summer of 1967, the band got an agent in New York City who changed their name to The Female Monkees and sent them on tour of the East Coast and Canada. This episode chronicles what must have been a memorable few years for the young members of the Seagrams/Female Monkees.
https://youtu.be/NFpKa-oKxWg

12/29/2024

Here's the schedule for the first part of our monthly music series that benefits the Second Harvest Food Bank of NW PA. These are free events held the first Tuesday of the month at the JPT Foundation events center in the old Hill's plaza at 2319 West 38th Street. The time is 6-9 and these are BYOB. Mark your calendars now!

12/25/2024

Before he became the bass player for Donnie Iris and Cruisers in 1992, Paul Goll played in Erie bands like The Web of Sound, Anacrusis, and Real To Reel in the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1970s he left Erie for Florida and toured up and down the East Coast with his band Powerglide for over a decade before returning to Erie to play in Mr. Gone. Throughout those years, he has played with some of Erie’s finest rock-and-roll musicians, and he still gets to play with his long-time friend Marty Lee in Donnie Iris’s band. Listen to the episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIXChnmBMRk

12/20/2024

They were just a bunch of high school kids, but in the mid to late 1960s in Erie, The Calientes were one of the most popular bands around. The band's bassist, Tim Gehrlein, tells how the band got started and played everywhere from North Warren hospital to tons of high school dances and even frat parties. Then, in 1969, they broke up and didn't reunite until 45 years later!

https://youtu.be/d5_Hx9O_-4A

12/18/2024

As we all may have some more time on our hands during the holidays, I'm going to try and share some of the older episodes that you may have missed or want to relisten to. I'm starting with Pati Williams, who is still playing today in the band Soul Addiction.

Here's a YouTube link to her episode: https://youtu.be/ecmK9VKzGNk

12/03/2024

Reminder:
Our monthly music night is canceled for tomorrow, 12/3/24. We will resume in February.
Happy Holidays!

12/01/2024

Due to weather, we are canceling this Tuesday’s music night featuring The Fabulous Leftovers Orchestra and The Division Street Machine. We will resume these free events benefitting the Second Harvest Food Bank of NW PA the first Tuesday in February. Thanks to everyone who supports this music night, and thanks to JPT Foundation and John Tramontano for donating the space and Wildsound Productions for running sound. See you in February!

11/15/2024

Our final live music night of 2024 is 12/3 featuring The Fabulous Leftovers Orchestra and special guest The Division Street Machine. The event is free and from 6-9. BYOB but the Lil Wagon food truck will again be there and Passalinqua's Pizzeria will be open next door. All donations benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of NW PA.

11/06/2024

Great people at our monthly music night … again! Thanks to everyone for supporting this event and the Second Harvest Food Bank of NW PA. Our guest band The Twist-Matics were a big hit, and I want to thank The The Fabulous Leftovers Orchestra for asking me to fill in for Derf Hopsecger as he recovers from his heart surgery. Special thanks, too, go out to our sound man Brian Waller, our food truck, the Lil Wagon, and Lauren for helping me each month with the drawings!

11/04/2024

Tomorrow night! Come join us for a stress-free and fun environment with some great classic rock live music! Passalinqua's Pizzeria will be open and the Lil Wagon food truck will be there! 6-9 at the old Hill’s plaza on W 38th street. All donations go to the Second Harvest Food Bank of NW PA.

10/29/2024

Our next free music night is a week from today on election day, 11/5. It runs from 6-9 and features our house band, The Fabulous Leftovers Orchestra and guest band The Twist-o-Matics, who will be playing fun rock-n-roll hits from the 1960s. We also will have the Lil' Wagon food truck onsite. All proceeds go to the Second Harvest Food Bank of NW PA. You can bring food donations, too!

10/29/2024

FYI, at next week’s (11/5) monthly music night, Passalinqua's Pizzeria will be open AND the Lil Wagon food truck will be there! Join us at the JPT events center for music by The Fabulous Leftovers Orchestra and the Twist-o-Matics.

10/18/2024

Next month (11/23) is the 3rd annual Paul Yoculan Memorial Scholarship dance at Rainbow Gardens. To learn more about the man who played in one of Erie's most famous bands, give a listen to this episode featuring Paul's son and Joe Salorino.

Paul and Joe talk about the Nov. 19, 2022 tribute concert to Paul's father who played in bands like the Epics (they played for the Beatles!), The Younger Bro...

10/11/2024

Our next music night is election day, Tuesday 11/5 from 6-9 featuring The Twist-o-Matics, which is a fun band featuring Jimmy Cuneo. Here's the interview I did with Jimmy for the podcast a few years ago.

He's played in The Wiggling Judies, Rub The Buddah, Blood Pudding, Magoon, and plenty of other original and cover bands over the years. Jimmy Cuneo is a keyb...

10/11/2024

We lost another Erie music Legend. RIP Skip Niebauer. In 1962, at the age of 17, Carl "Skip" Niebauer joined with Bill Arnold and John Nicotra to form what would eventually be called the Arkay IV. The band would continue up until 1971 with various personnel changes, but throughout those nine years the Arkay IV became one of the most popular bands in the region. Just two years after forming, their single "Little Girl" was being played on the radio -- and it wouldn't be their last. In this episode, Skip is joined by his longtime friend and bandmate Sam Hyman as the two cover the evolution of the Arkay IV and Skip's later bands and musical endeavors through the 1980s.
https://youtu.be/tkEBabppthk?si=l6bH1yWnQq0kcz_O